Records Fall as Track and Field Opens Season at BU

Senior captain Jay Hebert won the 60-meter high hurdles in his season debut at the BU Opener. (Gil Talbot)

BOSTON, Mass. – Harvard track and field opened the 2017-18 indoor season with several record breaking performances and event wins in its first meet of the year, the Boston University Opener.

On both the men's and women's side, the school record fell in the 300-meter dash. Junior sprinter and captain Gabby Thomas broke the old Harvard mark and set a facility record at the BU Track and Tennis Center with a 37.47 finish, winning the event. Thomas also won the 60-meter dash in 7.44.

On the men's side, freshman Jovahn Williamson kicked off his career in style, placing fourth in the 300m with a time of 33.96, also a new program mark.

In middle distance, sophomore Maya Miklos won the 600-meter run with a time of 1:32.93. Freshman Ryan Thrush won the men's 1000-meter run in 2:25.65.

Senior captain Jay Hebert also won the 60-meter high hurdles in his season debut, crossing the finish line in 8.12 seconds. On the women's side in the same event, sophomore Karina Joiner set a new personal record, placing second in 8.64.

Sophomore Donagh Mahon placed third in the high jump with new indoor personal record, clearing 6'9.75". Junior Ian West placed second among collegiate competitors in the pole vault, clearing 16'.75". On the women's side, senior captain Marlena Sabatino also took second among college athletes, clearing 11'9.75".

The women's 4x400-meter relay team - Claire Hotchkin, Maya Miklos, Karina Joiner, and Micah Meekens – placed third in the event in 3:52.63.

Freshmen made an immediate impact for Harvard in its opening meet, with Williamson (men's 300m) and Thrush (1,000m) winning in their Crimson debuts, and Emily Johns having the best mark among Harvard competitors in the shot put (37'11.25").

What's Next: The Crimson will have a month off before hosting the Harvard Multi Meet and Beantown Challenge on Jan. 12-13 to kick off the new year.